Humboldt County, Nevada

Secretary of State

August is when members of Congress are supposed to be meeting with their constituents to discuss issues before them. If you get a chance to attend such a meeting, please express your support for the Iran Deal and ask for your Senator’s and Congressman’s support.

As of the date of this post, there are 32 days remaining before Congress must take action on the Iran Deal before them. Even if you don’t get a chance to attend a meeting, you can always pick up your phone and call their offices:

Yesterday, after more than 50 years, we began to change America’s relationship with the people of Cuba.

We are recognizing the struggle and sacrifice of the Cuban people, both in the U.S. and in Cuba, and ending an outdated approach that has failed to advance U.S. interests for decades. In doing so, we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries.

I was born in 1961, just over two years after Fidel Castro took power in Cuba, and just as the U.S. severed diplomatic relations with that country.

Our complicated relationship with this nation played out over the course of my lifetime — against the backdrop of the Cold War, with our steadfast opposition to communism in the foreground. Year after year, an ideological and economic barrier hardened between us.

That previous approach failed to promote change, and it’s failed to empower or engage the Cuban people. It’s time to cut loose the shackles of the past and reach for a new and better future with this country.

First, I have instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to immediately begin discussions with Cuba to re-establish diplomatic relations that have been severed since 1961. Going forward, we will re-establish an embassy in Havana, and high-ranking officials will once again visit Cuba.

Second, I have also instructed Secretary Kerry to review Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism — a review guided by the facts and the law. At a time when we are focused on threats from ISIL and al Qaeda, a nation that meets our conditions and renounces terrorism should not face such a sanction.

Third, we’ll take steps to increase travel, commerce, and the flow of information to — and from — Cuba. These steps will make it easier for Americans to travel to Cuba. They will make it easier for Americans to conduct authorized trade with Cuba, including exports of food, medicine, and medical products to Cuba. And they will facilitate increased telecommunications connections between our two countries: American businesses will be able to sell goods that enable Cubans to communicate with the United States and other countries.

Candidate filing for non-judicial offices on the 2014 ballot begins at 8 a.m tomorrow, March 3 and closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 14. Candidates can still schedule appointments with the Elections Division at 775-684-5705 during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Secretary of State Ross Miller released the appointment schedule of individuals who plan to file Declarations of Candidacy for non-judicial offices in the 2014 election.

To date, 15 individuals have scheduled appointments with Secretary of State Elections Division filing officers.

Date and Time

Name

Office

Location

3/3 -8:30 AM

Kim Wallin

Treasurer

Carson City

3/3 – 9 AM

Don Gustavson

Senate District 14

Carson City

3/3 – 9:30 AM

Mark Hutchison

Lt. Governor

Carson City

3/3 – 10:30 AM

Brian Dempsey

U.S. Congress, District 2

Carson City

3/3 – 11:30 AM

Adam Laxalt

Attorney General

Las Vegas

3/3 – 12 PM

David Cook

Assembly District 40

Carson City

3/3 – 1 PM

Jim Wheeler

Assembly District 39

Carson City

3/3 – 1 PM

John Ellison

Assembly District 33

Carson City

3/3 – 1:30 PM

Barbara Cegavske

Secretary of State

Las Vegas

3/3 -2:30 PM

Barry Herr

Controller

Las Vegas

3/3 – 4:30 PM

John Rutledge

Governor

Carson City

3/4 – 9 AM

Cort Arlint

Controller

Las Vegas

3/5 at 2 PM

Vance Alm

U.S. Congress, District 2

Carson City

3/6 – 10 AM

Ross Miller

Attorney General

Carson City

3/7 – 4:30 PM

Jared Townsend

Assembly District 40

Carson City

In other news……

Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel – TBN’s Sponsor of the Week
This week’s newsletter is brought to you by Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel who will be honored as the Emerge Nevada”Woman of the Year” this coming Saturday, March 8th in Las Vegas. Spiegel is a graduate of the 2007 (first) class of Emerge Nevada and is the first graduate to have been elected to public office. Clark County District Court Judge Nancy Allf will also receive the “Alumna of the Year” award. You don’t want to miss this celebration so get your tickets while you still can. Tickets are available online here. Thank you Assemblywoman Spiegel for your generous support of TBN and all you do for Nevada!

Caucus Highlights
Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Paul Aizley and Assemblyman Dr. Andy Eisen were among the elected who participated at their caucus location in Southern Nevada last week, bringing the number of Democratic officials elected to state offices present at caucus to nearly 50!

Rep. Titus Receives Endorsements from Key Latino Leaders
The Latin Chamber of Commerce and several Democratic members of the state Assembly and Senate endorsed Rep. Dina Titus for a second term over Republican challenger Jose Padilla. Endorsements came from Otto Merida, President of the Latin Chamber of Commerce, State Senate Majority Leader Mo Denis, Senator Ruben Kihuen, and Assembly members Lucy Flores and Irene Bustamante Adams. Other Latino leaders include Eloiza Martinez, Luis Valera, Tony Sanchez and Nora Luna.

Kate Marshall Receives EMILY’s List Endorsement
Congratulations to State Treasurer Kate Marshall, who received the endorsement of EMILY’s List last Thursday. In announcing their endorsement, EMILY’s List President, Stephanie Schriock, stated about my candidacy, “Kate’s record as State Treasurer over the past seven years shows a commitment to empowering women and families through economic development, and EMILY’s List… is proud to help her become Nevada’s next Secretary of State.” Donate to Kate’s campaign here.

Lucy Flores Announces Candidacy for Lieutenant Governor
It was a packed house at the North Las Vegas campus of College of Southern Nevada yesterday when Assemblywoman Lucy Flores announced her candidacy for Lt. Governor. To get involved in Lucy’s campaign, visit her website at www.lucyflores.com.

National Women’s Lobby Day
March 8th is National Women’s Lobby Day. This is the day to check your congressional representative’s voting record on women’s issues and let him or her know how you feel about that. Click here for more information.

Apply Now for Nevada Youth Legislature
Applications Now Being Accepted for the Nevada Youth Legislature. This is a great opportunity for teenagers to learn about our government by actually participating in it. Applicants must be 9th to 11th grade students during the first school year in which they will serve on the Nevada Youth Legislature. The deadline to apply is April 12th. For more information, click here or download an application.

Nominations Now Being Accepted for Nevada Senior Citizen of the Year
Nominations for the Nevada Senior Citizen of the Year for 2013 will be accepted through March 31, 2014. The Nevada Delegation of the National Silver Haired Congress (NSHC) in partnership with the Aging Services Directors Organization (ASDO) established this award last year. Anyone knowing a Senior Citizen who has made significant contributions at the local, state, and/or national level may nominate that person. Click here for nomination forms and additional information.

Students can enter “Home Means Nevada” Essay Contest
Students in grades six through 12 are invited to enter the Home Means Nevada Sesquicentennial Essay Contest, sponsored by the Nevada Department of Education, Nevada in the West Magazine, Nevada History Foundation and the Nevada 150 Commission. All entries must be submitted to the Nevada Department of Education by March 24, 2014.Click here for more information.

On the Flip SideLess than 1/3 of Republican Party believes GOP Leadership Doing a Good Job in Congress
A new Pew Survey done last month shows that just 28% of Republicans and Republican leaners said the GOP was doing a good or excellent job in standing up for its traditional positions of smaller government, tax-cutting and conservative social values, while seven-in-ten (70%) rated their party’s job as “only fair” or “poor.” Read the entire report here.

As someone concerned with climate change, I want to thank you for your years of climate leadership as a Senator. As Secretary of State, you have the opportunity to have an even greater impact on combating climate change. One of the main ways you can do that now is by telling President Obama that the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is not in our national interest and should be rejected.

Climate action starts at home, and one of the first and clearest actions you could take would be to recognize that the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is a climate issue. The evidence is clear that Keystone XL could increase production levels of tar sands oil in Alberta, and therefore significantly add to carbon emissions. Moreover, the massive investment would lock us into dependence on this dirty fuel for decades, exacerbating carbon pollution just when we have to move quickly and decisively in the other direction.

Beyond the effects on our climate, activities to remove those toxic materials have already had a serious impact on wildlife who call that area home. Plus, the dangerous pipeline would put the water supply and the bread basket we use to feed millions of Americans at risk. After a year in which many communities across the USA were harmed by spills from existing pipelines, we cannot allow any more of the dirtiest, most toxic tar sands immersed in solvents that NO ONE knows how to clean up, to spill and permanently contaminate our farm lands, our aquifers and our waterways.

President Obama will have the final say on the Presidential Permit for Keystone XL, but your department, as the lead agency, will point the way. Although the State Department’s environmental impact statement underestimated the likelihood that Keystone XL pipeline would fuel climate change, you can set the record straight in your National Interest Determination.

At a minimum, you could say that Keystone XL is not in our national interest. But to be totally blunt, this pipeline would be an absolute disaster not only for our country, but also for our planet! Not only is there is no available “Planet B” within migrating distance, we have no viable means to get there even if there were a likely “Planet B.”

All we ask is that you get your facts right and support our fight against climate change in your decision on Keystone XL. We’re sure that once you have studied the issue carefully, you will see that the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is a significant climate issue, and must be stopped.

The final comment period is open for 30 days. Send your own letter to Secretary Kerry asking him to “reject the Keystone XL pipeline.”

While you’re contemplating your relative opportunity for success in achieving your New Year’s resolutions, Kate Marshall’s campaign team thought you might like to see the resolutions she committed herself to achieving:

Greater voter access for all Nevadans including those with disabilities, serving in the military, or overseas;

Increase transparency in campaign finance so that voters can “follow the money;” and

Work with city, county, state agencies to facilitate ease of registration and licensing for businesses.

Kate will be on the ballot as a democratic candidate for Secretary of State for the State of Nevada. To learn more about her campaign and what she intends to bring to the office of Secretary of state, take some time to peruse Kate’s campaign website. And, if you’re so inclined, she has an ActBlue account through which you can donate to Kate’s campaign.

Of all of our state offices, the Secretary of State campaign is most likely the critical campaign of 2014 and folks on the right know that. The Secretary of State position is the gateway extremists on the right are using to suppress our right to vote through reductions in early voting opportunities and stricter voter registration restrictions that prevent people who are legally eligible to vote from being able to exercise that right to cast a ballot in any given race.

Ensure your registration is up-to-date and take the time to learn more about each candidate who will be on the ballot for election.